1. Risks & Opportunities AN INTERCULTURAL, MULTI-STAKEHOLDER APPROACH
Enhancing the International Student Experience
AN INTERCULTURAL, MULTI-STAKEHOLDER APPROACH
AUIDF Meeting
6 April 2016
Risks & Opportunities

2. About the Paper
Focuses on onshore international students at Australian Universities
Reviews 14 studies conducted over the last six years
Places spotlight on the total student experience, which is broken down into four areas:
Pre-arrival
Educational experience
University life
Life in Australia

3. Key Proposition
The number of students (and their parents) prepared to entertain study at Australian universities depends on perceptions of the quality of what is on offer.
In the long run such perceptions are likely to be shaped at least as much by the word of mouth reports of students who have had direct experience of Australia and its educational institutions as by elaborate promotional and recruiting campaigns.

4. What Does the Review Reveal
Strengths
Clear appreciation of the important contribution of international students
General commitment to continued improvement in university performance
A good number of proposals for greater student satisfaction are under consideration or early stages of implementation
Greater emphasis on the need for more effective collaboration
Greater attention to different elements that make up total student experience
Improving employability means maximising future employment prospects in the home country, the host country and third countries.

5. What Does the Review Reveal
Shortcomings
Many of the proposals currently on the table promise useful improvements, but they are still short on ambition
Many of the recommendations are stated in such general terms that it is often difficult to see how they would be implemented, by whom, with what resources, within what timelines, and how progress might be measured and monitored.
We do not as yet have an agreed framework for measuring progress, comparing experiences, or for developing a body of useful lessons learnt.
Existing higher education reporting and data gathering mechanisms, often cumbersome and less than fully revealing, are not well fitted for this purpose.
The role of multiple stakeholders is acknowledged, but not enough attention on how they can be integrated into consultation and decision-making processes, and importantly in the different stages of implementation.

6. Strategic Priorities
In developing the quality and reputation of international education in Australian universities
Give due priority to the role of culture
Adopt a multi-stakeholder strategy

7. The Role of Culture in Education
All education is at its core a cultural phenomenon. The content and form of education, what and how it is taught, the organisation of the curriculum, student-teacher relationships, attitudes to study and work, all these reflect cultural assumptions and practices.
Culture is doubly important when it comes to international students – they come from different cultural and language backgrounds, and bring to their study different experiences, expectations, ways of studying, and social, cultural and spiritual needs.
The vast majority of international students are from Asian countries, that is, from cultures with which Australia has until recently found it difficult to engage.

8. Three Key tasks
Expose international students to Australian society and culture
Prepare international students to become ambassadors for Australia
Ensure university staff have an appropriate level of cultural competence

9. A Multi-Stakeholder Approach
International study involves the encounter of many cultures, but also a great many stakeholders in both home and host countries.
Relevant external stakeholders:
Government agencies (Federal, State, Local)
Business enterprises & peak bodies
Professional associations
International student societies
Community organisations (including ethnic, faith, environmental, cultural, sporting) .

10. Four Key Tasks
Establish multi-stakeholder mechanisms (ad-hoc working groups and a standing advisory council)
Develop local connections
 Two localities to keep in mind: university location & areas with heavy concentrations of international students
Develop international partnerships
Develop the connection with business .